Bench Press Your Baby

Finding time to exercise can be so elusive when you’re the mom or dad of a new baby. And yet, the parent of young children is exercising all the time. You don’t need to rush off to a gym or pool or spa to get your workout; it’s available right at home.

The calories I’ve listed are for a weight of 150 pounds. You will burn more calories if you are heavier or less if you are lighter than 150. Follow the link to put in your own weight.

My kids wrestled a lot with their dad while they were growing up and one of them grew up to be a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instructor. You can start wrestling when your kids are at any age as long as you are receptive to their skill level. Wrestling is a great way to teach non-verbal communication and cooperation. Family wrestling is not about winning, but about playing. And, it burns mad calories.

Calories Burned: 133 in 15 minutes; 531 in an hour.

Breastfeeding

We all worry about getting our pre-pregnancy weight back and think that we should exercise, but with a new baby that’s easier said than done? Breastfeeding burns a whopping 500 calories a day. Even if you do nothing but breastfeed and continue to eat as you did during pregnancy, you will return to your pre-pregnancy weight when your baby is about 9 or 10 months old. Producing just one ounce of breastmilk burns 20 calories.

Calories burned: 500 a day.

Babywearing

The amount of calories you burn wearing your baby depends on the size of your baby. Carrying small children burns 34 calories in 15 minutes. Backpacking, on the other hand, burns 89 calories in 15 minutes. I’m going to extrapolate that babywearing burns about 50 calories in 15 minutes.

Calories burned: 50 in 15 minutes; 200 in an hour.

Walking, Running or Playing with Children (vigorous): 68 calories in 15 minutes; 272 an hour.

Walking, Running or Playing with Children (moderate): 51 calories in 15 minutes; 204 an hour.

Peggy O’Mara founded Mothering.com in 1995 and is currently its editor-in chief. She was the editor and publisher of Mothering Magazine from 1980 to 2011. The author of Having a Baby Naturally; Natural Family Living; The Way Back Home; and A Quiet Place, Peggy has lectured and conducted workshops at Omega Institute, Esalen, La Leche League International, and Bioneers. She is the mother of four.